May 28 this year was the International Day of Prayer for the more than 7,000 Unreached People Groups in our world today. The majority of these groups are found in India and China. As we prayed for these needy people, my mind was taken back to a mission trip I led to China some years ago, and an amazing little Christian senior woman we met there who reminded me we need to hurry up and finish the job of evangelism.
She smiled as she chewed on the cheeseburger. Her energy level and warmth camouflaged her 90 years. All thoughts were on Tibet – one of the unreached people group areas in China. She shared her plans to return there on another mission trip in November. But this time to push further to the east where there are no known believers.
As she reached for her chocolate sundae, Aunty Mabel questioned us more about our recent experiences in Lhasa, Tibet. We shared how God had miraculously led us to the only known house church, and also how one more soul was added to the kingdom.
Her lined face beamed with joy. And she burst out in exclamation: “Jesus is saying, ‘Hurry up and finish the job so I can come back again!’” Then she went on to excitedly share how she led a local taxi driver to the Lord earlier that day.
The above scenario, although in English, did not occur at a Church or a Missionsfest, but at McDonalds in Beijing, China, during our summer ministry team visit. Aunty Mabel was a well-preserved elderly saint whose whole focus in life was kingdom ministry and growth. Her boundless energy and love for the Lord was an inspiration to everyone. She didn’t believe in retirement because the words of Jesus remind her to “work while it is still day because the night is coming when no one can work!”
All of the contacts we met in China expressed how quickly the church in China continues to grow; and, therefore, how much they needed discipleship materials and training for the many new believers. One elderly pastor who spent over 21 years in prison said to us “We need Bibles now more than ever before!” Our group was able to safely carry in over 600 pounds of Bibles and spiritual books – as well as many tracts and some JESUS videos.
We didn’t plan to lug this heavy load to Lhasa, Tibet – the world’s rooftop at over 12,000 feet altitude. But God had different plans for us. He led us unexpectedly to the very meeting place of the one house church in the city. What a blessing to meet “tentmakers” who serve the Lord in that centre of deep spiritual bondage. What joy they expressed in the many materials we were able to leave with them – unplanned – for the growth and discipleship of the growing body of Christ.
In other parts of China, it was so encouraging to meet young people who have dedicated their lives to ministry. One couple distributes Bibles to new believers in the countryside. They shared openly of the challenge of trying to meet this great need.
A specific example is a rural house church circuit pastor whose house church network is growing very quickly. Every time friends visited him he would ask for many more Bibles. Almost in frustration, they quizzed the pastor with the words, “Well, how many Bibles do you need?” The pastor’s sincere response was, “Can you bring me one million?” They chuckled and replied, “No we can’t. But we’ll ask God with you.” What a need! We sat there wishing we could have carried twice as many for those still waiting to receive their first contact with God’s written word.
On Sunday morning we attended one of the government-recognized Three-Self churches in Beijing. It was packed as usual. The preaching pastor was over 80 and had spent almost 23 years in prison. Following the service he water baptized 200 new believers. The two previous Sundays they had baptized a total of 300 youth. You can understand why even the Bibles printed inside China were not nearly enough.
As I rehearse the journey memories, I can’t get little Aunty Mabel’s words out of my head. “Jesus is saying, ‘Hurry up and finish the job so I can come back again!’” I want to be committed to that task. And I’m sure you do too.
Paul Estabrooks is a story-teller and loves to share the joys and triumphs as well as the challenges of Christians around the world who experience and overcome persecution. He graduated from Tyndale University (LCBM - London, Ontario) in 1966 with a BTh honors degree. He later received a Bachelor and Master of Arts (with distinction) from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan majoring in Mass Communications. In 2016, Tyndale University awarded him The Distinguished Alumnus of the Year! He worked at CFPL-TV in London, ON in production and promotion in the late sixties. Paul also taught media classes at Fanshawe College. In 1971, he and his wife Dianne moved to Manila Philippines as missionaries where he worked eight years with the Far East Broadcasting Company (FEBC) as head of Overseas Radio Programming. In 1979, he joined Open Doors International working into China as Director of Research for Asia. He later served Open Doors for three years as Southeast Asia Coordinator – based in Singapore – as well as the first full-time Director for Open Doors Canada for five years before becoming Senior Communications Specialist for the organization. He has visited more than 80 countries of the globe and taught Standing Strong Through The Storm in many of them. In 1981, he coordinated for Open Doors Asia the massive project of delivering one million Chinese Bibles to believers on a beach in China in one night – 232 tons. It was known as Project Pearl, the subject of one of his books.
He and Dianne have been married for 58 years and have three grown children and eleven grandchildren.
Paul is the author of seven books and a large number of booklets. One book is a major training manual used around the world in 54 languages titled Standing Strong Through the Storm (SSTS). His latest volumes are Living Like a Lamb Among 21st Century Wolves, Escape From North Korea, Night of a Million Miracles and Daily Inspiration From the Lion’s Den.
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